I Just Wanted To
by Rainfelt aka Phoe-chan
Summary: Sakura knew she was weak. It was a given fact. She was always two steps behind her friends. Maybe that's why she was left on her own, near death, and making a resolve to become stronger. And maybe that's why she caught his eye... [ItachiSakura]
1. Prologue

**Edit June 27th, 2007:** Making a few minor corrections in the storyline to make it flow better.

Please note that this story was started well before the time-jump got too deep in. In this, apparently Sasuke came back at some point and Sakura never fought Sasori. There are a lot of plotholes concerning where this story fits in, and I may just take it down and start over to make up for that. See latest chapter for details.

* * *

**I Just Wanted To...**

_Prologue_

* * *

_I just wanted to be strong..._

Her right leg throbbed with immense pain. She ran with a desperate limp, using every ounce of her willpower to keep herself from collapsing on the ground. Her chakra was near-spent, saving the miniscule amount for a dire emergency and to keep her conscious. Blood was smeared across her face, still flowing from the raw cuts on her forehead and cheeks. Her clothes were both soiled and torn, vaguely resembling her once spotless uniform. Her weapons were down to nearly zip, consisting only two basic kunai and one standard shuriken. Her vision was blurred; the poison taking its effect. To match the pain in her leg, her left arm was nearly numb, the two thin needles sticking out of it being the source of the poison.

To say she was in over her head would be the understatement of the century.

Sakura knew not where her teammates were. She'd lost sight of Naruto first, when he was catapulted out of the fighting area by a strong ninjutsu attack. Eventually, she found herself without allies and in the enemy's hands.

Running was her only option.

Why was she, a chuunin, put on a mission of this caliber? Her teammates were all Jounin. Was it for old times' sake? Even so... this mission was above her level. And she had a feeling everyone knew that.

She knew she was weak. Her strength did not lie in her abilities but only in her intelligence. And intelligence is worthless when fear overruns your rational thinking.

She wanted to call out for her sensei, for Sasuke, for Naruto, for _anyone_ to help her. But she knew no one would come. The growing doubt inside her reminded her that the only people on her trail were that of the enemy.

Although most of her reasoning had been thrown out for the pure instinct to run like hell in order to survive, she was able to deduct that the light she was approaching meant she was getting close to the edge of the forest.

Normally, this would be a good thing. But for Sakura, it was not.

She approached the last few trees and her eyes widened as she quickly shifted her body to skid to a stop. Pain erupted from her injured leg as she bit back a cry. Losing her balance, she tumbled forward and over the cliff's edge.

She reached out to grab the ledge, but her fingers slipped through the blades of grass and could not grasp a firm hold on the ground. With a shrill scream, she fell down the cliff side, her body roughly tumbling down the slope until it came to a stop in the ravine below.

* * *

Naruto's head jerked up at the familiar feminine scream echoing from a distance. His entire body shuddered with fear of what he didn't want to admit. He attempted to get up to search for Sakura, but the blinding pain forced him to fall back onto his side, where he passed out from blood-loss. 

When he awoke, he was in a bed not of his own. It took mere seconds to recognize the standard hospital room. In the bed next to him, the curtain pulled back, Sasuke laid asleep, breath steady, but unconscious.

In the chair between them, sat Kakashi, one arm bandaged and stitches on his face and probably other parts of his body. He looked tired, pale, and most of all, grave.

Naruto frowned. "Ano sa... Ano sa...Kakashi-sensei...?"

The Copy Ninja looked up to Naruto, weary eyes seeming slightly relieved at seeing the young man awake. "Naruto."

The blond squirmed a bit until he was in a seated position, despite protests from his body. "Did we get 'em?"

Kakashi almost let out a snort at the boy's question. However another question broke the silence before Kakashi could answer. "Where's Sakura-chan?"

He saw his sensei freeze and his eyes widened. "Kakashi-sensei? Sakura-chan's OK, right? Right???"

In the other bed, Sasuke opened his eyes, listening to the one-sided conversation. He didn't move to give away his consciousness, but merely waited for his former sensei to answer.

Kakashi finally met Naruto's eyes, and the first time probably ever, the blond saw such sadness in them he couldn't begin to describe.

"She wasn't found...It's been three days and she's been declared MIA."

_Missing in action... _Naruto's eyes lost their liveliness as he stared. To think that his best female friend was gone...

Sasuke closed his eyes, refusing to let any tears fall. He should have protected her. He owed it to her. And he had failed. And she was most likely lost to them forever.

And there was mourning for many people in the village of Konohagakure.

But what they didn't know was...

...Fate had a different plan for Haruno Sakura. One other than her death.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

A little quick reference for the few Japanese terms and such used here. 

_Ano sa:_ Hey

_-chan:_ Suffix used to show closeness to a friend, family member or lover. Often used toward children as well.

_Sensei_: Teacher/Instructor.

_Ano sa:_ It basically translates to "Hey". Naruto uses it a lot in the anime. Like his is usage of "dattebayo".

MIA: Missing in Action. Military term.

Criticism and comments appreciated. If you're gonna flame me, at least make yourself intelligent sounding. Otherwise you're just insulting us both. :D 

_Phoe-chan_


	2. Scroll I Stay Alive

**AN:** Edited June 27th, 2007

Kishimoto is the creator of Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto and his team and his dead plant, Ukki-kun.

Oh, and to anyone thinking Sasuke is OOC. Remember this. If Sakura is Chuunin, and her teammates are Jounin, it's in the future. One can assume Sasuke has had some changes considering that the manga currently stands on Naruto promising to bring Sasuke out of darkness. Sure he's probably still cold-hearted, but he IS human. I know I've not revealed the ages of our heroes yet, but one can automatically assume it is somewhat in the future. Whether six months or six years. There will be changes. (Not only that but if Sasuke failed to protect his teammates; wouldn't he blame himself for it? If he's strong, he should be able to protect them, ne?)

* * *

**I Just Wanted To...  
**  
_Scroll I - Stay Alive_

* * *

He stared at the mangled and dirty heap at his feet that could've once resembled a human being. The earth surrounding the form had been disturbed, the grass torn from the ground and the rocks turned over. It was quite simple to distinguish the various ninja weapons that stood out, erect, from the mangled corpse. 

He paused. In all honestly, he wasn't sure why he was giving this a second thought. The mere stench of blood that had been cooked in the midday sun was enough to make him wrinkle his nose in disgust.

Perhaps it was the natural genius in him--he enjoyed analyzing a situation. Perhaps that's why he hadn't left yet. He was amusing himself by retracing the steps this person made that ultimately resulted in their death. And thus, he looked back down to the corpse.

_'Chuunin.'  
_  
Yes, a generic Chuunin vest covered the upper torso. He would have snorted had he felt like it. However, the hot, early afternoon sun was attacking him in his black attire and he could feel the perspiration threatening to drip down his face and get in his eyes. He was turning to retrace his steps back to the main path when something caught his eye. He watched as a figure limped toward him, dragging one leg along and stumbling over the terrain between them.

One fine brow arched as he realized the figure was approaching him. He didn't make a move and just watched. He could make out through the mud that the figure was most likely a woman. She approached and raised her head, hollow green eyes staring up at him. He stared at the Konoha engraving on the forehead protector, partially covered by strands of tangled pink hair.

He almost stepped out of the way as the figure reached up to touch him, as if it could transmit a horrid disease. However, the one word that escaped the girl's lips surprised him, for lack of a better term.

"...Sasuke-kun?"

The name brought his stoic expression almost to one of irritation. He had been so close to relieving his little brother of the limits Konoha had set upon him but that nine-tails brat had stopped him. Again.

Perhaps it was a good thing, however. The two of them together were quite powerful. He had almost given up on his foolish brother. However... as this girl pitched forward, he found himself extending one arm, catching her before she hit the ground.

It was obvious she knew Sasuke. How, he wasn't sure... but perhaps with this girl he could renew his brother's fury.

Swooping down, he scooped her up under the knees, shifted her weight until he was comfortable, and then began to walk away.

"Little Brother... You've gotten complacent these past five years. Perhaps you require a new reason to hate me?"

* * *

"Damnit, old woman!" Naruto spat, slamming his good fist down on the desk. The other was bandaged, much to his irritation, and wasn't to be used for a few days. 

"Naruto," Tsunade began, rubbing her temples. The boy gave her such a migraine. "It's impractical for you to go on the retrieval mission. It's Anbu rank and you're not Anbu. And you're in no condition to be on a search mission. We don't even know if Sakura is al--"

"Don't you dare." The boy snarled, eyes narrowing into slits. "Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence."

Tsunade didn't finish, just stared at him intently. "I still can't let you go."

"Fine. If I take the damned Anbu exam and get accepted, will you let me?"

"Not if you're unable to move that arm."

"Deal."

Tsunade sighed, knowing very well the boy would do anything to help find his precious friend. It was his nature. His friends were everything.

"Oi. Obaachan?"

Tsunade looked up at the boy who went from enraged to timid in a matter of seconds. It pained her to see him so unsure of himself. "D'you think she's... still alive?"

Her features softened as she stood up, walking past her desk and put a hand on his head, despite the fact he was taller than her now. Old habits died hard. "If she's alive, we'll find her. You know we will."

Naruto smiled faintly at this, closing his eyes. "Thanks, Tsunade-sama."

* * *

Meanwhile, Sasuke was having more of a problem convincing anyone to let him work at all. Unlike Naruto, who had the kyuubi chakra to help him heal, Sasuke was just Sasuke, and therefore, was in worse shape than the blond. 

This was his third time attempting to sneak out of the hospital. The first time, he passed out. The second, he was found out by the medical staff and sedated. Now, as few people were around, he sneaked toward the exit, one hand clutched to his stomach and the other holding onto the wall for balance. The tile floors were freezing cold under his bare feet.

"Going somewhere, Sasuke-kun?"

The young man froze, squeezing his eyes shut. "Don't _do_ that."

Kakashi put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, preventing him from taking another step forward. "You've not been released for a reason, Sasuke."

"I'm needed on the field."

"Are you? Or are you trying to satisfy your feelings?" Kakashi inquired, placing his other hand on his hip. "We're all worried about Sakura and we all have hopes that she's still alive, but what good are you going to be to her if you pass out on the field because you're not healed? We're getting a medic nin to come check up on you soon. Can you at least wait for that?"

The Uchiha nodded slightly, letting Kakashi lead him back to his room. Just wait. He could wait. ...

Waiting had never been his strong point.

* * *

Uchiha Itachi stood in front of the entrance to his current Akatsuki hideout, earning a couple of curious glances his way from his underlings. It was strange that the Uchiha would return with someone, but it was even stranger to see him toting along a half-mangled woman in his arms. When a guard made a move to inquire him about his cargo he looked up and calmly stated, "Bait." 

The guard nodded, glancing down at the woman. He didn't want to know what she was being used for and stepped back, letting the prodigy through.

Itachi walked down the halls, entering his quarters, and walked to the simple, western-style bed, all but dropping the girl onto it. She groaned in protest, proving she was still alive, though she made no effort to move. He stared down at her figure, judging the damage. Though he could care less about her, particularly, he did need her alive if he wanted to accomplish the plan forming in his mind.

Shrugging his cloak back, he extended a hand, grasping the needles in her arm. With a quick jerk, he pulled them free, tossing them to the side. Impassive eyes roamed her figure for any more weapons protruding before turning to the door. Opening it, he caught sight of someone walking down the corridor. "Send a medic to this room."

Quick to obey orders, the man departed, leaving Itachi standing in his doorway. Turning once again, he approached the girl on his bed. He made note that after this his sheets would have to be changed. Undoing his cloak and setting it down, he reached for the zipper of her vest, sliding it down. Slowly, almost as if he cared, he removed the vest from the girl's body, frowning slightly as it clung to her body where the blood had dried. How the hell this girl had survived was beyond him. She must have the favor of some sort of deity, should there be such a thing.

He stood as he heard foot steps and turned to the medic ninja standing at his doorway. "Clean her up, dress her wounds, and take care that she doesn't die. I need her." He turned halfway to stare down at the girl on his bed and muttered over his shoulder. "Stay alive."

With that, he turned and left to inform the remaining Akatsuki members of his guest and debrief his mission, leaving the medic ninja to his work, staring at the girl. The likelihood of this girl living was slim to none.

Sakura floated in limbo between conscious and unconsciousness. She neither wanting to slip back into sleep in fear of not waking up nor did she want to wake to the pain awaiting her. She was slowly leaning toward the road of eternal sleep when a deep voice, so distant, yet so close, infiltrated her half-coherent thoughts. _"Stay alive."_

Who this was, she wasn't sure. But it gave her a reason to turn her back away from the beckoning sleep and step back into the blinding and painful light that was reality.

The medic who was performing the healing jutsu on her ragdoll-like body looked up in surprise as the woman began to come to. "She might just live after all." He muttered, before returning to his work.

_To Be Continued...  
_

* * *

**OMAKE: **

Uchiha Itachi stood in front of the entrance to the Akatsuki organization, earning quite a few curious glances his way. It was strange that the man would return with someone, but it was even stranger to see him toting along a half-mangled woman in his arms. When a guard made a move to inquire him about his cargo he looked up and calmly stated, "Jailbait."

**(cough)** don't ask.

**AN:** Well... finally this chapter is done. I had a bit of trouble with it, which is why it took so long for me to finish it. My muse spent most of her time gnawing on her sushi-pattern toga but did quite a bit of help despite her choking on the cotton. Again, I ask that you be patient with me, and as always, critique and comments are welcome. Thanks to all your reviews and I look forward to hearing from you again.

Words you may not know:

**Obaachan:** Sorta like old lady or grandmother.  
**Anbu:** Special Ninja unit. Consists of Hunter nins, Assassins, and such.  
**Akatsuki:** "Dawning." It is part of the organization Itachi belongs in, originally composed of 9 superb ninja. I'm expecting though, they have underlings, as hinted in the manga, so they will be used here.

_Thanks for reading,  
_

**Phoe-chan**


	3. Scroll II Bind

**AN**: Edited June 27th, 2007.

**Disclaimer:** I'm a slave to Naruto. Doesn't mean I own it.

* * *

**I Just Wanted To...**

_Scroll II - Bind_

* * *

Sasuke laid on the hospital bed as Tsunade, herself, performed the healing jutsus to restore his body. He didn't care why she was the medic assigned to him, in fact, he was glad. She wasn't Hokage for nothing. And he had a few questions for her.

"Hokage-sama."

Tsunade looked up from her work, catching Sasuke's pensive expression. "Yes, Sasuke-kun?"

"Why was Sakura assigned to that mission? It was A-rank."

Tsunade paused, frowning, and returned to her work. "I'm not at liberty to discuss those details, Sasuke." She replied evenly, straightening up. "You're finished. Take it easy for the next 48 hours and you should be fine." Quickly, she turned and left, leaving him staring at her retreating form.

Tsunade massaged her temples as she walked back toward her office. Things were not looking good.

* * *

Itachi walked slowly back toward his quarters, his arm resting in the opening of his robe as he recalled his superiors' words. He was allowed to keep Sakura as long as he remained able to continue his work with efficiency. It was a fair trade and he obliged.

He opened the door to see the Medic cleaning up. Turning, the man straightened up to give his report. "Itachi-sama. The girl has been attended to. I've administered an antidote to her, but the poison will leave her left side numb for a few days and her senses dulled. She'll need to stay off her right leg for at least twenty four hours until my jutsu has completely sealed the wound. And she'll need to stay on her stomach for a while. She has severe bruising on her back, and muscles. That is all."

Itachi gave a short nod, letting the man dismiss himself with a bow. Turning, he pushed open the door, and stared at the figure on his bed. She lay on her stomach, indeed, face turned to the side to allow her to breathe. Her upper body was bare and he could see the dark contusions that covered the majority of her swollen backside.

He walked across his room, feet never making a sound on the wooden floor as he stopped in front of his bed, staring down at her. She had been cleaned up to the point he could actually make out her fair skin and the chipped nail-polish on her fingers. His face impassive, Itachi captured a lock of her hair in his fingers, thumb brushing over the strands that needed to be washed. Pink. He wouldn't be surprised if the girl was named something soft and feminine like Sakura or Miyako. Not fit for a ninja. No wonder she was in such a mess. It seemed she preferred her appearance to training. He nearly frowned. Surely his brother wasn't such a fool to be interested in this girl? Unless the quality in Konoha kunoichi had dropped greatly, he could do better.

The girl was also too thin. He didn't know how long she had been without food but it was obvious she wasn't properly taking care of herself. No wonder she was beaten to a pulp. And they let her become a Chuunin? He shook his head, letting go of her hair. Then again, maybe there was something there he couldn't see. He knew not to give a premature judgment of a ninja until he had seen them in battle. It was true he didn't know who she was against. Perhaps she had some skills.

...Perhaps.

However, he knew that this girl would not be happy once she awoke. And if her will to live was anything, she'd be a handful if he didn't do something before she got to the state of consciousness. Besides, it was best to take care of the first stages of his plan while she was sleeping.

Itachi had already formed several parts of his plan, considering the possible actions for each. For every flaw he found, he would alter the idea until it suited him. Calmly, he slid a kunai out of his holster, and sliced through a thick lock of hair. He returned the kunai to its place as he fingered the pale pink hair in his palm.

Moving to a set of shelves across the room, he tucked away the lock of hair for later use. Before returning to Sakura, however, he picked up a bottle of ink and a brush from the shelf. Moving back to where she lay, he sat down beside her, tucking stray strands of his hair behind his ears. Glancing once over her discolored backside, he pushed her hair aside and opened the bottle of ink with his finely manicured fingers.

Setting aside the cap, he dipped the brush into the black ink, saturating the tip, and began his work just below her right shoulder. His strokes were deliberate but smooth and elegant. Nothing less than one would expect from Uchiha Itachi. Finishing the design, he set aside the brush and closed the jar of ink. Already, the markings were drying.

It was not a complex arrangement. A simple symbol that resembled the sharingan, with an opening in the center, and three kanji was all it consisted of. But it would prove more than effective for its purpose. Now nearly complete, Itachi took his kunai and drew it across his thumb as the blood accumulated at the surface of the skin. Turning his hand palm down, he placed his thumb in the design's center and activated his chakra.

The entire outline came to life, momentarily glowing blue as the chakra sealed it into Sakura's skin. In the center where Itachi placed his thumb, a red kanji formed.

It was the kanji for "Bind".

And the seal was complete.

Standing up, he returned the items to their proper places before picking up a book from one of his shelves. Taking a seat in a chair by the window, Itachi opened the book, propped his chin up with his hand and began to read.

* * *

That... had to be the hardest thing Uzumaki Naruto had ever done in his life.

In fact, upon completion of the writing exam for Anbu rank, Naruto was actually cradling his head in his hands, murmuring incoherent things.

Now he waited outside the office as his exams and application were being looked over. Already they had tested his abilities, and although he wasn't at his best, he still believed he did a good job.

However, that thought didn't keep him from wringing his hands together as he sat on the chair in the waiting room. His eyes fixated on a piece of lint on the floor as waited. So maybe he was a little more nervous than he was letting on. But if he didn't pass he had a backup plan which involved Tsunade, a lot of sake and a scroll giving him Anbu rank with her signature.

But he hoped he didn't have to use it. That woman was damn scary when she was mad.

However, Naruto's waiting didn't last long as the door opened and the examiner walked out to greet him. The man's face was completely lacking of any emotion and thus Naruto had no idea how he did. In fact, the boy had forgotten to breathe as he waited for the results. Finally remembering he needed oxygen, he took a breath and stood up. "Well?"

The man handed Naruto a paper. The boy looked down at it, his brows arched. Damn, it was in kanji. "What does this mean...?"

"You scored a percentile of 59 on the written exam. One percent below failing."

Naruto's face paled as his hand starting shaking and stared up at the man who didn't even give him a sympathetic look.

"However, on your physical performance test, you scored over 80 even with your injuries. Therefore, given the average, we will put you on a test mission. We will evaluate your performance during this mission then make a decision."

Naruto's eyes widened as he jumped up. "REALLY?! You mean it?" With enthusiasm only the Kyuubi vessel could express, he jumped up, hugged the examiner and ran off.

"...He didn't even ask to see what mission he was going to be put on."

* * *

Sasuke had been released from the hospital and was now sitting alone in his house, staring into the depressing shadows of the room. Shrouded in darkness, Sasuke let his pain take over him as he closed his eyes, reliving nightmares and past events.

Yes, he had stopped his mission to kill Itachi. No, it didn't mean if the man showed up, he'd let him live, but Sasuke, after some thorough pounding, realized that killing Itachi was just what he wanted him to do. Sasuke wasn't about to give him that satisfaction. He had to smirk at his thinking. It was so stupid, yet at the same time, it somehow made sense in his twisted, little mind. _I'm not going to kill the murderer of my clan because he told me to do so. I'll let him live and suffer. He can be miserable like I am. Stuck in this pathetic excuse for a life._

But there was one thing that Sasuke had that Itachi didn't have.

Friends. Naruto. Sakura. Kakashi.

They had become his family. They could never replace that which was taken from him, but they kept him alive in more ways than one.

And he'd be damned before he let any one of them be taken away from him.

_Just hold on, Sakura. We'll find you._

* * *

Pain. It was the first thing she felt. Actually, it was all she felt for a good few minutes. She couldn't open her eyes. It hurt, but she kept trying. She wanted to go back to sleep, but she felt that she had been asleep for a very long time. She finally managed to partially open her eyes and just stared. It was all a blur of colors.

She blinked. Again, and again. Slowly, her vision began to clear. It was gradual, but in about five minutes, she could see decently again.

Her body was heavy. She had no strength; it seemed to take every ounce of willpower to just breathe. Her mind was blank. Where was she? Who was she? No coherent thoughts could be processed. Eyelids heavy, she blinked.

She was Haruno Sakura.

She was a Chuunin of Konohagakure.

She was... supposed to be dead.

Visions of what happened played in her mind as she trembled slightly. The blood, the pain, the fear, the fall.

Was this what it was like to be dead? Your body so heavy and your senses so dull? No, the pain was too real for her to be dead.

While she waited for her body to wake up and respond, she took note of her surroundings. She lay on a bed, her head resting on the mattress just below the pillow. Beside the bed was a plain nightstand with a lamp. She looked up with her eyes and saw the entrance to what was a bathroom. She could make out the start of a tiled floor before it disappeared behind the threshold. Her eyes traveled onward, giving her something to think about besides the pain. The walls were plain, wooden, and bare. A door on the wall across from her was pulled shut. It, too, was bare of any decoration. In the center of the room were a set of tatami mats and a low-rise table in traditional Japanese style. Behind her, on the wall right of the door, she could make out the beginning of some sort of closet and desk set. But that's where her line of sight ended.

By now she could feel more than numbing pain. Biting down on her lip, she slowly moved her arm, bending the elbow until her palm pressed into the mattress. Again with the other arm, both palms against the mattress, she pushed. Her arms shook and her joints nearly gave way but determination seeped through her as she pushed her upper body off of the mattress and forced herself to sit up. It hurt. Greatly.

But she didn't care.

Her body was stiff. Dull, tired eyes again took in her surroundings. It was at that time she realized her chest was bare. Her reactions were slow and uncharacteristic of her nature. Reaching out with one hand she grasped the pillow and pulled it to her chest slowly, hugging it to her. It was something to hold on to. She shifted her body until she had turned around to look at the rest of the room. Pain erupted from her body with the movement of any and every muscle but she just winced. The pain wasn't going to subside anyway.

If her senses had not been so dull, she would have smelled the dirt and sweat that clung to her body and felt the chilling air caressing her skin and even the smooth fabric of the pillow she clung to; however, all she had at the moment was her sight, so she took advantage of that.

Now able to look around more thoroughly, she could see the desk from her earlier observations was rather elaborate. It started out on the left as a small wardrobe for clothes before turning into a desk. Above the desk were a set of shelves decorated with random objects, most of which were ninja related. The desktop itself was spare of any items and a plain wooden chair was pushed in under it. On the right was a set of wooden cabinets with glass panels to which more items could be seen, some familiar to her and some not.

The light in the last corner informed her of a window. She shifted her weight until she could comfortably face the window to see the sunlight. Her eyes widened when she saw she was not alone. A cloaked figure sat in a chair by the window. Chin resting in his hand, elbow on the window seal and a book in his lap; one would think he hadn't even noticed her.

She would have attempted to say something had her throat not been so dry. She wanted to see this man's face. He had to be the one who saved her.

However, he spoke first, still staring out the window. "I did not expect you to wake so soon, kunoichi."

Although sounds were muffled she could tell his voice was rich and deep. She tilted her head in an attempt to say something. Her mouth opened, her chapped and blistered lips protesting, but no sound would come out. It seemed that was another one of her functions that was on strike.

He shifted slightly; folding the book closed and turned his head, pushing his bangs out of his face and behind his ears. The dark tips of his fingers told her that his nails were painted. He then looked up at her calmly.

A nearly inaudible gasp escaped her lips. It wasn't the close resemblance to Sasuke that startled her, but rather, the piercing red Sharingan eyes that stared at her through thick eyelashes.

Despite her condition, she managed to raise a shaky hand and point a trembling finger at him.

"U-Uchiha...Itachi...?"

To Be Continued.

* * *

**AN:** What a crappy place to leave off. ::sigh:: Oh well, I know you're all about to kill me for taking so long to update anyway. I had this all so nicely planned out in my head and now it just seems to not do the idea justice. Maybe next time, I suppose. At least writing that one-shot made me get off my ass and finish this chapter.

Been RPing too much on my RPG board. Kin'na forget I have fics to write as well. Haha ::rubs back of her neck::

Anyway, feedback is always appreciated and thank you to those who have reviewed, commented and given me critique. It's all appreciated.

_Phoe-chan._


	4. Scroll III Sickening

**AN**: Urk… this thing takes so many brain cells to write.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Naruto series.

* * *

**I Just Wanted To…**

_Scroll III : Sickening_

* * *

The Anbu squad stood before Tsunade as they awaited their orders. Among them was Naruto, who had discovered that this was his test mission. He was nervous—not because of the mission itself but for what he might find. 

Their captain stood in front of them, arms behind his back, body erect as he waited for the Hokage to speak. The chestnut hair was pulled back into the typical tie he normally held it in. The Anbu mask sat on the Hyuuga's head, his pearl eyes staring straight ahead. Neji would be perfect for this mission. His eyesight and abilities would help to pick up any clues of Sakura's whereabouts.

The only other familiar person on Naruto's team was Aburame Shino. One wouldn't assume the man would be the type to join the Anbu; however his skills were quite beneficial to the Anbu. In slight amusement, Naruto took note that Shino's mask was an ant.

He returned his attention to Tsunade who spoke. "Your job is simple. You will report to the site where the mission took place. From there you will perform a full-scale, in-depth search of the entire area and the surroundings in a radius of ten kilometers. Your goal is to find traces to the whereabouts of Konoha Chuunin: Haruno Sakura. Her ID and profile was in your packet information," She paused, taking a deep breath and momentarily locked eyes with Naruto. "Be prepared for anything."

Naruto set his jaw before pulling down his Anbu mask, a fox, naturally, before disappearing with the rest of the team.

_Hang on, Sakura. We're going to find you. Alive._

* * *

Sakura's hand was trembling as she tried to comprehend the words she just uttered. This was… This was just impossible. She had to be delirious; it was the only logical explanation. 

Her arm fell to her side after she lost the strength to hold it up. Her heart pounded against her chest as she stared at the man in front of her, unable to pull her eyes away from his. Dangerous, but she wasn't strong enough to do it. She waited for him to say something, _anything_ that would break the deafening silence that had been cast over the room.

She almost couldn't bear it. The silence, that is. It pounded in her ears and the headache she received from it caused her vision to blur again. _Please… just say something…_

Itachi watched the emotions that played across her bruised face. First came shock, and then fear, then after that, confusion. Finally, she settled back onto fear. He smirked slightly. She had brains enough to know she was in danger. There may be hope for her yet. "I see my reputation precedes me. And your name is, little kunoichi?"

The pounding silence was shattered when his deep voice reached her ears. Still slow, it took her a few moments to process his words. He wanted to know her name? He didn't know it all ready? Why did he save her in the first place?

So many questions ran through her mind, many of which were lost as soon as she thought them up. She then remembered she had yet to respond to his question. She licked her chapped and peeling lips, opening her mouth to speak. Her voice scratched her throat as she forced the words to spill from her lips.

"Ha-Haruno Sakura…"

His brow rose. So he was right about her name being unfit for a ninja. Furthermore, he could not recall of a clan with the last name "Haruno". He never broke eye contact with her. "What do you specialize in?"

Sakura felt compelled to answer his questions to avoid slipping back into the silence. She felt safer while words were being exchanged. "Medic jutsu and genjutsu…"

Ah, a medic nin. That might explain the reason she was in such poor condition if she had stayed true to her mission and took care of her comrades. That would, most likely, also mean her defense was lacking.

Sakura hugged the pillow to her chest tightly. She was now painfully aware of her state of dress and started to panic. What did he do to her while she was unconscious? He could have done anything to her. She shook slightly as her imagination went wild and showed her the many things that could have happened while she was helpless. Before she broke down, his voice broke through her thoughts. "I have not touched you in that way, kunoichi. I have no need to use you for sexual pleasure. I have other uses for you. You lack your uniform because it was ruined and you needed to be treated."

Sakura stared at him with wide, frightened eyes before she snapped her head down to look at her arms. They were bruised and cuts marred her once smooth skin; however, the cuts were closed up, as if they had been healing for days. Indeed, this was the work of a medic.

"Wh-what do you want with me?" Her voice was meek and scared, her body trembling as she stared at him with the most pitiful eyes he had ever seen. It nearly made him sick at the weakness that was before his eyes.

"Bait." One simple word, yet it meant so many things. Of course, Sakura's first assumption was not the one he expected. "I won't let you use me to get Naruto."

He arched a brow. _She also knows Naruto-kun. This could work more in my favor._ "I don't believe you'll have much choice when the time comes, little kunoichi."

She wanted to shout back. Her defiant nature screamed to be let loose, but the fear that entrapped her heart would not let go. This man was dangerous, she was in pitiful shape and there was nothing she could do to defend herself. She bit down hard on her bottom lip, forcing herself not to break down and cry. She had to be strong. She had to protect Naruto.

"It is so convenient how you know both Naruto-kun and my otouto. Tell me, what is your relationship with them?"

Sakura's eyes darted to Itachi, again taking the risk of staring into his eyes. _He's after Sasuke, too. Oh, God. _

He could see the internal struggle she was having with herself. Apparently she was desperately trying to keep from breaking down. He watched her impassively as her hands gripped the pillow like a lifeline. "No…" It was a whisper, but it spoke volumes of her defiance. It both irritated him and amused him in some sick, twisted way.

"It would be wise to cooperate, little kunoichi. I can easily break you." He commented calmly, showing no remorse for his words, his voice cold, without emotion. It made Sakura wrench her eyes shut.

"T-teammates…"

The whisper barely reached Itachi's ears but it was a sufficient enough answer. She must have been the third member of the three-man team. _Interesting_. "Is that it?"

Moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes as she forced her eyes to remain shut. Hoarsely, she replied, "Yes" before she returned to clinging to the pillow that had become soiled from the dirt, grime and dried blood on her body. Silently, she begged him not to ask any more questions. She didn't want to answer. She didn't want to be broken, yet sadly, she already was.

Fluidly, yet not abruptly, he stood from his chair and walked beside the bed she sat on, looking down at her without the faintest hint of emotion. "Come."

It was not a request, nor was it an invitation; it was a demand, harsh and commanding. Sakura wanted to obey, she wanted to be safe. She didn't even curse herself for it; her mind had reverted completely to the instinct to stay alive and safe.

However, her body protested loudly and she found herself biting back a cry when she shifted her weight to the end of the bed. Although his face remained blank, Itachi apparently had limits to his patience. He reached down, grasping her upper arm tightly and jerked her off the bed onto the floor, not releasing his hold on her. A pained cry escaped her lips and he was sure he heard something pop. His lip curled in irritation. He had probably dislocated her shoulder. Was the girl really that fragile?

Itachi didn't use violence unless the situation called for it, but his tactics were brutal nonetheless. Caring and being gentle were two things Itachi was not capable of. However, he had arrogance and pride, a sense of superiority and what he wanted, he got. What he commanded was obeyed. And this girl was going to walk to the bath if it was the last thing she did. He would not put up with weakness. She was so much weaker than his brother, it made him sick. "Get up."

She did not want to be weak. She had survived and she was going to make it. Grasping his forearm, his hand still gripping her own arm, she let go of the pillow and stood. Her knees buckled and she had to nearly throw all of her weight on Itachi but she managed to stay upright. Her weight didn't even make him shift in the slightest, as if she were just a breeze blowing against him. He let her hang onto him as she forced herself to remain on her own two feet. He wasn't impressed, but he wasn't disappointed. He was at least satisfied with her attempt to regain some dignity.

Despite her half-dressed appearance, Itachi didn't spare her body a glance. He had no time for such pointless and trivial things. She was filthy and not keen to set eyes upon.

The bruising grasp on her arm kept her from falling to the floor again as he walked pointedly toward the bathroom, the only other door in the room. She bit back her cries of pain, reducing them to whimpers as she stumbled at his side, pain shooting up her legs with each step she took. Her toes curled in reflex when the pain surged through her feet and she was gripping Itachi's cloak so hard her knuckles had turned white.

The tiles of the bathroom were cold as they walked across them. In the corner of the bathroom was a shower stall. Itachi opened the glass door and guided Sakura in before letting go of her arm. She immediately collapsed to her knees, her lips pressed shut to keep from screaming in pain. "One you have cleaned yourself of the dirt you may bathe in the bath drawn for you. There will be something for you to wear once you are done."

It was probably the most he had said and the words pounded in her ears. She managed a half nod, glazed eyes staring down at the tiles of the shower stall. Itachi looked down at her for a moment, observing her slumped shoulders, the tangled hair that hung limply from her head, the bruises and cuts decorating her skin and the black seal tattooed on her back. He briefly wondered how long it would take her to notice it; not that it mattered. Pushing one sleeve up, he reached for the faucet and turned the water on. Cold water spurted from the shower head, pouring down on Sakura. She gave a yelp and her body jerked but she did nothing else after that, except for the trembling of her shoulders.

"I will leave you a kunai out here to cut off the rest of your… clothes." Not that one could really call them clothes anymore; they were rags. He let his sleeve slide back down his arm and turned, walking away with the grace of an Uchiha. He pulled the folding screen shut, leaving her to herself.

And now, alone, Sakura allowed herself to break down, curled in the corner of the shower, drenched in cold water and sobbing for all she was worth.

* * *

"We have a body." 

The way the words were spoken made Naruto's spine go rigid. "Where is your location?"

Upon receiving the information needed he sped toward the indicated area, looking like a black and grey blur in his new Anbu uniform. The recently tattooed symbol on his arm still throbbed a bit.

He jumped down the steep slope, almost a cliff, and landed in the valley below. Neji and Shino had arrived as he did and they all gathered around the body. The vultures and other feasting animals had been scared off and now they were left with a half-decayed and half-remaining carcass. The stench of blood was strong and the sight made even Neji's stomach turn. Mud caked the body and thus it was very hard to make an identity. The face was no more, having been one of the first parts of the body to be feasted on.

_Please don't let it be her. Please, God, don't let it be her._ Naruto silently prayed to anyone who would listen for his prayers to be answered. Neji squatted down on his haunches and looked over the body, using his perceptive vision and insight to determine the identity. "Chuunin. The forehead protector is missing so I cannot tell from what country." Without hesitation he gripped the hair of the corpse, thumb brushing away the mud to determine the color. It looked brown and it seemed it wasn't from the mud. He dropped the hair and glanced at the body. The frame was small but Sakura was smaller. He then glanced down at the hands. A few fingers remained but it confirmed what he needed to know. "It's not Sakura. The hair is brown, the build is too large and there is no nail paint. Didn't the folder state Haruno Sakura paints her nails?"

Naruto nodded weakly, relief washing over him. It wasn't Sakura. It wasn't Sakura. The mantra played over and over in his head and it relieved him, but only for a moment.

"Did anyone else find anything?"

"Just the one other corpse that was easily identified as not being the target," Another Anbu replied. Neji nodded, standing up. "We've performed a full sweep of the requested area and our results have turned up negative so we need to report back to Hokage-sama…"

"Wait! Commander, there's something you should see over here."

The request came from another Anbu member Naruto didn't know. However he was right on the man's tail, demanding to see what was so important.

"Naruto," Neji's voice broke the boy out of his near-hysterics and forced him to pay attention. "Stand down. This is your trial mission. It wouldn't do well for you to mess up here."

Naruto took in a shaky breath and nodded, steeling himself. The other Anbu nodded, motioning for the team to follow. Shino remained for a moment to summon the crows and vultures to finish the job they had started on the corpse.

They stopped in front of the cliff just a short distance away from the corpse. "There is also a sign someone fell here, too. Just like where the other corpse was found down here."

Neji observed the way the dirt and rocks were disrupted and overturned. Indeed, someone had fallen down this cliff side. His keen eyes noted where the body stopped as well as the disturbed earth that showed signs of someone struggling to get up. "Whoever was here appeared to have got up and left."

Naruto glanced at the ground, trying to see what Neji could see but he just couldn't focus on the little details like the Hyuuga prodigy could. "A-any indication of who it might have been?" Naruto inquired meekly.

Neji turned, fingers touching the dirt before looking past Naruto, back the way the other corpse had been found. "They were dragging their leg as they walked. The marks signify a lot of weight pushed down on one foot and the other's prints are dragged out. It's hard to tell now for we've contaminated the area. However, there is still evidence. And it seems the person had a small foot."

Naruto got his hopes up. "Then it might have been Sakura!"

"Might, Naruto. We have no hard evidence of who it was." Neji replied, standing up and dusting his hands on his uniform pants. "There is nothing more I can determine here. We need to return and report to Hokage-sama."

Naruto gave a resigned sigh and nodded.

* * *

Reddish brown water emptied into the drain of the shower stall as Sakura used her numb fingers to work loose the dried blood and caked mud in her hair. She let the water remain cold for it soothed parts of her skin that burned, especially her back. Her tears mixed with the water, both pouring down her face as her fingers pulled at the tangles in her hair. Muddy streaks trailed down her small figure. Looking up, she saw a bar of soap and shampoo on the small indention in the wall that served as a shelf. Pushing herself to her knees, she grabbed the soap and collapsed back to the floor with a soft mumble of pain. Resting her head against the tiled wall for a moment, she took in a shaky breath and glanced down at the bar of white soap in her hands and then at her skin, several shades darker and dirtier. 

Her eyes darted back and forth between the soap and at her skin. She had always prided herself in her flawless skin, rosy and smooth. However, that was the furthest thing from her mind. She wanted to be clean. She wanted her skin white. If she were clean it would all go away. Once she was clean she would find out this was all a horrible, horrible dream. Desperately, furiously, she began to scrub at her arms and body, nails digging into the bar of soap.

The sting from where the soap got into her reopened cuts only fueled her desire to cleanse herself.

And thus, that is what she continued to do, scrub at herself with a bar of soap, sitting underneath the shower head that sprayed cold water on her pale skin, now taking on a blue hue.

The shock of her experience was finally taking its toll on her.

_To Be Continued._

* * *

**AN:** Finally done with this bugger. I knew exactly what I wanted to happen; I just had no idea how to put it to text. After fiddling around with it for a while, I managed to come up with something that seemed to suit me. I do apologize for taking so long to update, but unlike my more humorous, lighter fictions, this one takes a lot of time to think out how I wish to write it. I have to carefully consider how I want Itachi to act, for we know little about his true character and I want him to be as in-character as I can achieve. I don't see him the type to just kill or be violent whenever he gets a chance. I see him the type to only do so when needed. I don't think he would rape women for pleasure or torture; it's not in his character or his nature. He has Tsukiyomi to break a person. 

If you wish to challenge me on my ideas about how I interpret Itachi, then go right ahead, but I do believe I have a sound grasp on his character based on what we know.

Thanks all for your comments. I am so glad to see that this fiction is a success and popular despite the lack of (decent) ItachiSakura fictions.

_Phoe-chan_


	5. Scroll IV Gift

**AN:** I just had to get this chapter up by Sasuke's birthday. You'll see why… And sorry, this is kinda short and rushed… Hopefully I didn't fully kill it.

**Disclaimer:** I disclaim.

**I Just Wanted To…**

_Scroll IV: Gift

* * *

It was a rainy day when Neji's Anbu__ team returned. Many were waiting to hear news and hoping whatever news they had was good. Sasuke insisted on waiting for them after finding Naruto had joined Anbu specifically for the mission. He stood beside Kakashi as they waited at the village's gates along with Tsunade, the other ninja of Sakura's generation and a few others, parents included. _

When the Anbu team was first spotted a murmur spread through the crowd.

"They don't have anyone with them," Sasuke commented to Kakashi without looking away. Kakashi nodded grimly.

"They either didn't find her or… or her body wasn't in tact to bring back," He murmured quietly so that only Sasuke could hear.

The team stopped in front of Tsunade who was doing her best to stay composed. "Debrief," She commanded with as firm of a voice as she could muster.

Neji stood at attention. "Search for missing chuunin, Haruno Sakura proved negative results. No body was found and no hard evidence of what may happened. The only lead we have is that someone had limped away from the gorge outside the site of the attack. The size and weight of the footprints could be a match to Haruno but other than that we have no lead; the trail stops a few meters away."

Tsunade nodded, closing her eyes. At least they hadn't found her body. Sakura's mother buried her head in her husband's chest as he held her. Naruto scowled before removing his mask, walking off. Kakashi and Sasuke were hot on his tail.

"Naruto."

The boy in question turned, looking much older than he was. "Yeah?"

"You OK? This was your first mission as Anbu right? Oh, and congratulations on passing the exam." Kakashi commented, trying to remain neutral on the topic.

Naruto nodded, closing his eyes. "Yeah… the only reason I joined the Anbu was to look for Sakura-chan…"

"You didn't want to join the Anbu?" Sasuke inquired, brow furrowing. He didn't know that. Weren't best friends supposed to know these things? Well, it's not like he had a manual on being a best friend. Obviously.

"Not really. It's not something I'm interested in," Naruto commented, shuffling his feet. "The killing, that is."

Kakashi nodded, closing his eyes. Naruto still didn't like to kill unless he had to. "You can just do retrieval missions and such like these."

"Yeah… maybe. C'mon, let's go. I'm hungry…" Naruto commented turning and waving his hand for the two to follow. Sasuke and Kakashi shared looks before following the blond. Sasuke grimaced, shoving his hands in his pockets. What a lovely way to celebrate a birthday. Not that he was much for celebrating the day of his birth but still…

* * *

Sakura reached up, leaning against the wall and turned off the water. She shook as she exited the shower stall and slowly made her way to the chair where Itachi had laid the kunai for her. Taking it with trembling fingers she slowly cut away the remnants of her clothes, doing her best to steady her hand so as not to knick herself. She peeled away the blood-stained cloth and dropped it to the floor in a wet pile. She winced at the cuts marring her once milky white skin. Having already cried herself dry of tears she merely shook her head and shakily walked to the bath drawn for her. As she slid her foot in she recoiled and hissed as the water stung her. Not only had she showered in frigidly cold water but she had rubbed her skin raw. 

She sat on the edge of the bath and rubbed her feet to get the warmth back in them before slowly sliding them into the water, letting them adjust to the temperature before slipping in. It took a few minutes for her to actually be able to sit in the water. Another hiss escaped her lips as she leaned back against the tub's edge, her body soaking in the heat that she had denied herself in the shower. Not trusting herself to be able to duck her head underwater she merely ran her fingers through it, sliding back to wet the back of it before wringing it out. It would have to do.

The heat did little to sooth her red skin and soon she found herself unable to enjoy the bath. She pulled herself out of it, stepping onto the tile floor and sliding out onto her feet, wary of the wet tiles being slippery. She reached for the towel left for her and patted her skin dry; knowing rubbing it would only make it worse. She glanced over to the clothes Itachi had mentioned and, draping the towel over her shoulder, picked up the material. It was a cotton yukata, simple and black. _'Probably Itachi's…'_ she assumed as she slid the material on, mindful of her skin. Tightly securing the sash, she noted sourly that the shoulders were a little big and despite her attempts to remedy that, they still showed more skin of her shoulders and collar than she would have liked.

She stepped out of the steamy bathroom, making her way to the bed which had been cleaned and covered with new sheets. She sat on the edge, shivering as the cool air caressed her irritated skin, and draped the towel over her head, drying her hair gently.

She heard the door open and close and quickly whipped her head up to see Itachi staring at her intently with those red eyes. She swallowed, knowing how foolish of her it was to stare at him directly but if he hadn't killed her yet then maybe she was safe for now.

"I see you're clean now," Itachi commented quietly, walking, almost gliding, across the floor, taking his seat at his chair beside the window. Sakura's eyes followed him as she removed the towel from her tousled pink hair. He looked so much like Sasuke yet not. And the aura he gave off reeked of both power and death in waves, nothing like Sasuke. And she voiced this observation, foolishly.

"You're nothing like your brother…" Her voice was soft, quiet. Itachi slowly looked up at her, pensive sharingan eyes pinning her with their gaze. She held her breath, gripping the towel in her hands.

"No, I'm not." He replied, turning his head back out the window. "I've had food prepared for you, Haruno-san."

Sakura blinked, turning her head, neck stiff, to the table sitting in the middle of the room. On it was a cup of green tea and a plate of onigiri. Had she not been in such pain or in such a situation, she would have laughed.

She slid off the bed onto her feet, having regained some of her balance and walked to the table, slowly sitting down in a traditional fashion, despite protest of her muscles. With shaky hands, she lifted the cup of warm tea to her lips, letting the liquid soothe her parched throat. She noted it had honey in it, which helped the process. Perhaps after she ate she would be able to replenish her chakra reserves enough to finish what the medic started. He was good but not as good as she was.

Forcing herself to not drink the entire cup, she placed it back on the table before picking up one of the rice balls, eating slowly and carefully. Her brow furrowed as she ran over what she last remembered before she completely blacked out. She was in immense pain. She knew she had fallen off the cliff and it had to be through a miracle that she had not broken her neck. The will to survive surpassed the urge to give in and let death take her. How she did it, she didn't know, but she had managed to pull herself to her feet. It was a blur from that point on but she could have sworn she saw Sasuke-kun…

No, she didn't. Sasuke didn't wear black.

She had seen Itachi. And he had brought her back. It was so ironic she could have laughed. She was saved by an S-class nukenin, a murderer and the one man Sasuke would do almost anything to kill, just so that Itachi could get to Naruto and Sasuke-kun. Anger swept through her as she finished her onigiri and reached for another one. She wouldn't, no, she _couldn't_ let this happen. She would have to escape. She wouldn't let Itachi use her. She would show she wasn't weak.

"You're angry, Haruno-san," Itachi mused aloud, watching her. She straightened her back, wincing as pain shot through her. It was amazing and unnerving at how well he could read her. It had to be a gift for he hadn't known her for long. That or she was easy to read.

"I am," she agreed, pausing in her eating.

"At me," Itachi stated rather than questioned. He knew why, though.

"Yes, at you."

A smirk played on his lips. Even if she couldn't see him, she still shivered at his presence.

"Amusing, given that you're at my mercy, Haruno-san. You are either very brave or very foolish, like my otouto." His smirk only grew as he watched her bristle at his comment. Her voice was soft but he caught her next statement easily in the silence of the room.

"Sasuke-kun is not foolish…"

Itachi's brows rose slightly. It was intriguing how little time was needed before she felt comfortable enough to retaliate. Intriguing… and amusing. This might be more interesting than he first thought. With that, he stood. She stiffened as she heard the rustling of his cloak and he only shook his head. He walked up to the cabinets at the desk and reached up, taking something out of it. Turning, he looked down at Sakura who looked up at him with wide green eyes. Such a peculiar color. He would ponder on that later.

"I have something I need to do," He offered, not knowing why he was bothering to explain. "Someone will come in to check on you shortly."

He walked to the door before looking back at her over the collar of his cloak, red eyes narrowing through raven colored bangs. "It would be wise to not do anything foolish, Haruno-san."

He momentarily observed her expression before leaving with a rustle of material and a click of the door. She noted he didn't even lock it. He either had guards or others in the building or he thought little of her abilities. Or perhaps both. Her jaw clenched as she glared at the door.

* * *

Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi sat at the bar of Ichiraku's, each with a bowl of ramen before them. However, even Naruto's appetite wasn't as great as it normally was. He frowned, stirring the broth with his chopsticks. He looked up for a moment, brow furrowing as if he had something to remember. "Hoi… Sasuke," he muttered, looking over at the brunette. Sasuke in return arched a brow in question. "Isn't today your birthday or something?" 

Sasuke grimaced, glaring down at his bowl of half-eaten ramen. "Yeah."

Naruto opened his mouth to say more but the whistle of an approaching projectile caused him to react, moving his head to the side. Sasuke did as well as a kunai embedded itself into the wall of the ramen stand. Two and a half pairs of eyes stared at the weapon. It had a small parcel attached to the hand. Hesitantly, Sasuke took the kunai, wrenching it from the wall and opened the attachment, catching what fell out of it as his sharingan flared up, skimming over the note left with it.

With a frustrated scream he tore from his seat, running out into the street. His eyes searched the surrounding areas as people moved away from the angry Uchiha. His fists clenched as he did not find who he was looking for. Looking up at the sky he gritted his teeth before screaming.

"_ITACHI!"_

Naruto stared at Sasuke before reaching over and picking up the note and the object that had fallen out of the bundle.

He and Kakashi stared at the few words that had sent Sasuke into a rampage.

_Find me and you find her. I hope you're strong enough to save her._

_Happy birthday, foolish little brother._

In Naruto's hand was a lock of pale pink hair.

_To be continued…_

* * *

**AN:** Urk… I think I lost my hold on Itachi's character… and Sakura's. Maybe because I'm brain-dead and my mind cannot function efficiently to produce a chapter with any depth. Forgive me. 

Just a note: I cannot tell you what the seal does yet for it will spoil future chapters. Also, yes I am now aware that Akatsuki does, in fact, mean "Dawning." My bad, folks; my bad…

Updates will be slow, as you've noticed. I've been focused on my "Child of the Earth" fic. It's my brain-child. (abashed look)

Reviews and comments welcome. Thank you for your comments thus far. They're much appreciated.

_Phoe-chan_


	6. Scroll V Thoughts

**AN:** It's been 2 years since I updated this. A lot has changed, from my own writing style and ideas, to the current progression of the manga. This story would never work with the time-jump, but for the sake of not taking it down and rewriting it; let us assume this is merely a deviation from the canon. Where this deviation starts, I've no clue, but clearly Sakura did not fight Sasori. And really she's stronger in the series than she is in this story. I fail.

Full AN at the bottom. Please read it.

**Disclaimer:** Nay, do I own the series. But I do have some nifty throwing knives!

* * *

**I Just Wanted To**

_Scroll V: Thoughts_

* * *

Sasuke's sharingan flared as he searched the immediate area, looking for any sign of his brother—a flutter of a cloak, the flash of red on black, _anything._

Of course, there was nothing, and the young man bit back another frustrated scream, short nails biting into the palms of his hand.

Behind him, Kakashi had taken the piece of hair from Naruto and had pushed his headband up, his own sharingan eye inspecting the piece. Although he was no forensics expert, the color definitely matched Sakura's, and the hair was indeed real. The lock of hair had some dirt on it, and what looked like it could be dried blood.

"Is it… hers, sensei?" Naruto all but whispered.

Kakashi said nothing for a long moment, before looking out at Sasuke. "I think so. We'll have it analyzed by a professional to be certain, but I don't doubt Tsunade-hime will be making moves even before we get the results back. Let's calm Sasuke down and get up to the hokage's office."

Naruto nodded, and leaving a half-full bowl of ramen behind, perhaps a first for him, he pushed off his stool and made his way over to his best friend, who was still shaking with barely suppressed rage. Reaching out, he hesitated, before placing his hand down on the Uchiha's shoulder. "Ah… Sasuke…"

The brunet whirled around on his best friend, deep red eyes blazing. Naruto froze, wondering just what the man would do, before Sasuke hissed out, "We're going to find him. We'll find him, and we'll find her. And then we'll kill him and save her. Got it?"

Naruto mutely nodded eyes wide. What was he supposed to say to that? Fortunately, Kakashi took over. "That's fine, but first we need to get this to the right people to see if we can get a lead on where Itachi is. Let's go."

Willing to go along with that, Sasuke nodded, took a deep breath, then began to make his way down the street, Kakashi and Naruto in tow.

* * *

Some distance away, a figure sitting Indian-style on some rocks opened his eyes, hands falling away from the seal he had been holding. That part of his plan complete, Itachi stood and looked out in the direction of Konoha. Just as he anticipated, that jutsu had come in quite handy to deliver his message to his brother without his having to even get near Konoha. It saved a good deal of time, too. 

With that thought, he pushed off and made his way back in the direction of his current hideout. He would hope that if Kisame had returned, the Hidden Mist ninja had not jumped to any rash conclusions upon finding Sakura.

But despite appearances, Kisame wasn't daft. Just brutal.

* * *

Fortunately for Sakura, Kisame had either not yet returned, or hadn't come into the room she was currently confined to. The young woman had finished eating, and had also finished her tea. With nothing else to do, she was left with either the choice of trying to rest, or exploring the room she was currently in. She chose the latter, hoping to find something that might later aid her in her escape. 

Of course, as she had noticed the first time, there wasn't a whole lot to the room. The most interesting thing was the shelf and desk from her earlier observations. She didn't dare open the cabinets, but she could look through the glass panels and on the shelves without touch, easily enough. There were a few weapons, the standard kunai, shuriken and a variety of needles, some long, some short, some thick and some thin. On another shelf were a stack of scrolls, most likely blank, and a bottle of ink. Beside the ink were three brushes, each of a different size, all lying on a sheet of rice paper. Interestingly enough, the one closest to the shelf's edge looked like it had been recently used. The paper below it was warped and stained a dark grey. Curiously, the pink-haired medic reached up and touched the bristles. They were damp to the touch, and her fingers returned with a grey residue on them.

Eyeing her hand, she wiped it off on the yukata she wore before returning her attention to the shelves. A couple of explosion tags and some twine were toward the back of the shelf, and the front half was virtually empty. And she had just about moved on when her eye caught something on the polished wood. She almost missed it, and it took her a few times before her fingers would finally grab it, but she pulled up a single hair.

It would not have been a big deal, except Itachi's hair was black. And this was a significantly lighter color. It almost looked… pink.

She frowned. It was only a few centimeters in length, and she could've been mistaken. After all, what would he need her hair for?

Nevertheless, the young woman found herself stumbling back toward the bathroom, body protesting the entire way. The pain returned full-force, or perhaps she was just now noticing it again, and she whimpered as each step she took sent throbbing aches up her legs and body.

It seemed like forever before she found herself back in the bathroom, tiles still somewhat wet from where she'd gotten out of her bath. Looking around, she spotted the mirror and slowly approached it. She stopped in front of the mirrored glass and she wavered, before catching her balance again. Exhaling softly, stiff fingers reached up and began to comb through her hair.

And she suddenly stopped when she pulled her hair up to see a lock much shorter than the rest, just an inch or two from the scalp. Her eyes widened slightly, fingering that area. He'd… cut her hair. But for what reason?

She wasn't certain she wanted to know.

What she did know is that she needed to sit back down. Pressing her palm against the wall, she made her way out of the bathroom and over to the bed, easing herself onto the mattress and feeling it sink under her weight. With a good deal of effort and some grimacing from the pain she got from moving, she finally was able to lie down on her stomach. Turning her head to the side, she pressed her cheek against the cool fabric of the pillow and closed her eyes.

She didn't expect sleep to come so easily.

But when one was as exhausted and weak as she, then one's body often made the decisions instead.

* * *

Kisame returned to discover his partner had left on some errand of his own, leaving just a few of their current peons behind. Weak though they were in comparison to the actual members of the Akatsuki, they were loyal. 

And kept the place clean. Despite what one might think Kisame liked living in some place that was clean when he could afford the luxury.

Samehada resting on his shoulder, he walked down the halls, sword barely avoiding scraping against the ceiling. He walked past Itachi's room, paused, and glanced at the closed door. He had the nagging feeling something was not quite right, but he also was not so rude as to enter the other man's room without good reason (and permission) to.

And so he shrugged slightly, continuing on down the hall to his room, disappearing inside.

* * *

Itachi returned a couple hours later, being informed upon entering the premises that his partner had also returned. The man said nothing in reply, quietly making his way to his room, where he opened the door and expect to see his current captive had behaved. 

He was not disappointed. She was still sleeping on his bed, resting on her stomach with an arm draping off the edge of the bed. Patiently, his eyes skimmed the area, looking for anything out of place. He found nothing, and so he closed the door behind him, making his way to his usual perch—the chair by the window.

Slowly, almost methodically, he undid the clasps on his cloak, opening it and sliding it off his shoulders, before draping it over the arm of the chair. He took a seat before proceeding to remove his legwarmers and shoes. That done, he got up and entered his bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Like Kisame, if the option of cleanliness and good hygiene was readily available, he was going to take advantage of it.

* * *

Sakura woke to the sound of running water. Blearily, she blinked and slowly pushed herself up despite the loud protest of her muscles and body. She was not disoriented, knowing exactly where she was, but she did not know why the water was running. 

Looking around, her eyes fell on the cloak draped over the chair and her sleep-muddled brain managed to fit the pieces together.

Itachi was back.

She bit her lip, wondering how long the shower had been running, and how long she had before he would be finished. It wasn't like it mattered; there wasn't anything she could do to prevent whatever would be happening in the near future.

The defeatist attitude she had taken on sickened her, and she shook her head. She was being pessimistic, not realistic. Despite his strength, he was not immortal. Never mind that he was a genius with a bloodline limit, an S-class criminal who had murdered countless people, a member of the elite organization that was the Akatsuki. Never mind that he had a partner nearly as strong as he. Never mind that she didn't know where she was.

Never mind that she was only a Chuunin.

She was Sakura. And it just wasn't in her nature to give up.

She would have to take it slow, plan carefully and outwit him, but she had the brains, she knew she did.

But the first thing she needed to do was finish this half-assed job the previous medic had done on her body.

She shifted her weight into a more comfortable position and gently eased one her legs close to her body for better access. Her hands came up to form the seals she knew all too well, although she did so slowly, for her body would protest otherwise. Once the sequence was complete, she pulled her hands apart as pale green washed over them.

She had not yet replenished enough chakra to heal everything, but she had enough to take care of some of her problems.

Palms pressed down lightly against her leg and she smoothed them slowly over the skin, healing the heavy bruising she'd sustained. When her hands moved on, all that was left behind was pale skin tinged yellow, the sign of a bruise at the end of its life.

By the time Itachi had finished his shower Sakura had covered her legs and feet and was currently massaging her foot, fingers cool from the afterglow of her jutsu. She would like to do her back, but that would be difficult. It wasn't a place she could so easily see, and the best she'd be able to do was just pump a lot of chakra and hoped that the regenerative qualities of the energy would fix what was still damaged. It wasn't a great option in her mind, and she didn't have that kind of chakra to waste, either.

She'd just do a little bit and then the rest later. Sleeping on her stomach wouldn't be that bad.

She raised her arms over her head and placed them on her upper back when the bathroom door opened and steam escaped into the cool room, lightly caressing her exposed skin. She looked up, and saw her captor looking back at her, a towel on his bare shoulder. He was clad only in his uniform pants, the rest of the material in his hand. His hair was wet and untied.

She found she couldn't move, her gaze locked onto his as he stared at her calmly. It was he who broke eye-contact first, moving over to his chair and sitting down. He dropped the rest of his clothes atop his shoes, casually reaching up to push his hair over his shoulder.

Sakura still hadn't moved, save her head, which had followed him as he moved across the room. A minute or two of minding his own business passed before Itachi looked up and leveled his gaze with her. She flinched in response and looked away, her arms falling to her lap. Even when he spoke, she did not turn to look at him again.

"I see our medic is not at your level."

She said nothing, not knowing what it is she was to say to that. True, she was a well-talented medical ninja, but she feared if she agreed, something bad might come from it.

But Itachi said nothing more, peering at her for a moment longer before looking away. The wheels in his mind turned as he thought before he made note of the time. Standing, he pulled his cloak over his shoulders and looked to Sakura. "Stand and follow me."

Her heart started beating faster as she pushed herself to her feet, crossing her arms just below her breasts in a protective manner. He led her out of his room and then down the hall, and she followed, fearing the worse.

He stopped at a door and she held her breath as he opened it and gestured for her to step in. She hesitated, before cautiously moving into the room.

It was empty, save a bed and a few other bare furnishings. Looking around, she exhaled softly as it clicked.

He probably wanted his bed back. She turned to look at him and met his piercing gaze. He inclined his head slightly. "You will stay here. Do not leave this room with anyone other than myself."

He then closed the door. There was no click of a lock, and she did not feel any chakra to signify there was any sort of barrier spell on the door.

She wondered about that as she made her way over to the bed, pulling back the sheets and crawling under them. She pulled them up to her face and stared at the wall, hoping and praying to whatever gods there might be that Naruto and Sasuke would not try to find her.

_Don't let them get hurt because of me._

To Be Continued.

* * *

**AN:** I hate this chapter. It sucks, there is OOCness and it's a rather pointless filler chapter, but its existence mocked me until I sat down and finished it. 

But here is an update. Along with a question…

**Are you still interested in me continuing this story?** I ask, because it does not fit into the canon and there are tons of plot holes resulting. It irks me to no end, and I find that the chapters are sincerely difficult to write because I don't know where I'm going with this, nor do I really like Itachi anymore. Deidara ftw anyone?

I thought about taking this down and redoing it to better fit the canon storyline, but I don't think I have enough desire to see it through.

Anyway, I apologize for the poor quality, but here it is. I'm really starting to think I need a beta or something. Gah…

I keep thinking there was something else I wanted to say, but I do not recall what it is. Oh, well. Thank you for your comments and support thus far!

_Phoe-chan._


End file.
